Disgruntled drivers and local businesses are to take their protest against the introduction of Angus car parking charges to the door of the local authority on Thursday.
In what is set to be a noisy show of opposition to the off-street fees which came into force a week ago, a convoy of vehicles is expected to descend on the council’s Angus House HQ at Orchardbank in Forfar.
The mobilisation of opposition has been organised by business owners who say their trade has already been hit by the charges which came into force on November 1, after an absence of more than two decades.
Council finance chiefs hope the scheme will bring in £700,000 a year but its controversial introduction has led to virtually empty car parks in many towns as drivers seek out free parking and a barrage of complaints over the cashless payment system being used throughout the district.
Brechin butcher Gavin Brymer and Bruce Robertson of the town’s Hardware Store, who both fought the introduction of charges, will take part in the protest, along with a Kirriemuir businessman who has set up an online petition against the change.
Mr Robertson said the peaceful protest is scheduled to take place at 1pm at the council headquarters.
“We would anticipate a lot of vehicles and it may be advisable to use hazard lights, horns or both to ensure awareness to other road users,” he said.
“We will stay for about 30 minutes to make sure Angus Council notice our presence, during which time we will hand-deliver a letter to council leader David Fairweather beseeching them to immediately put the covers back over the parking meters across Angus.
“We will ask for a meeting with representatives from the business community and residents of Angus to discuss a way forward before we lose all town centre footfall completely.”
Mr Brymer said there had been a noticeable impact on already fragile town centres such as Brechin.
“We’re asking for a bit of grace for the off-street car parks so folk can get an hour or two free to allow them to come into town and do what they need to do,” he said.
“The past couple of years have been very difficult for business and there are continuing uncertainties such as the Brexit situation.
“My staff number has gone down from 22 to 16 over the past 18 months or so and we are not one of the shops employing just one or two people who could be forced to shut their doors by something like this.
“They are playing with people’s livelihoods here.
“We knew it would be bad, but you just have to look at the car parks to see how bad it is for towns like Brechin, which are struggling as it is.”
